Safety draw-bar.



H. F. BALL.

SAFETY DRAW BAR.

APPLICAVTION FILED NOV. 2. 1917.

,282, 1 69. Patented oct. 22, 1918.

vFIG. 2:'

WITNESSES in sockets in the top plate,

l? it .'F. BALL, 0F BRONXVILL, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 FRANKLIN .RAILWAY SUPPLY COMPANY, GF NEW YORK, N'. Y., .A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

SAFETY DRAW-Ban.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1919.

Application led November 2, 1917. Serial No. 199,840.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN F. BALL, of Bronxville, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Safety Draw-Bars, of which improvement the following is a specification.

My invention relates to couplings for railroad vehicles, of the class or type which is set forth in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,216,692, granted and issued to I-Iarry A. Hoke, under date of February 20, 1917, upon which coupling it is an improvement., The object of my invention is to provide a coupling of the type above specified which will embody the features of strength and security of that of said Patent No. 1,216,692, and will, further, afford increased clearance for the front tender truck brakes, and enable the vehicles to be more readily coupled.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings; Fig. 1, is a vertical longitudinal central section through an appliance embodying my invention, and; Fig. 2, a horizontal section through the same, on the line a: :c of Fig. l, in position when the coupled vehicles are passing a curve.

Inthe practice of my invention, referring descriptively to the specilic embodiment thereof which is herein exemplilied, a locomotive and tender are, as heretofore, connected by a. main draw bar, 1, which is coupled to the locomotive by a pin, 2, passing through a pocket, 8a, on the foot plate, 3, and to the tender by a pin, 4, passing through a draw bar pin casting, 5.` The pin, 2, is fitted in sockets in the top plate, 3b, of the pocket 3a; in a plate, 3, extending across the pocket, between the top plate, 3b, and the bottom plate, 3d; and in the bottom plate. The tender coupling pin, 4, is fitted 5a, of the draw bar pin casting, and in an intermediate plate, 5, extending across the casting, the pin, 4, being, as shown, shorter than the pin, 2, on the locomotive, and not extending to the lower level of the draw bar pin casting.

The locomotive and tender are also connected by an auxiliary or safety draw bar, 10, which is located below, and normally substantially parallel with, the mainv draw bar, and which is coupled to the locomotive by the main draw bar coupling pin, 2. rlhe opposite end of the safety draw bar is coupled to the tender, by a pin, 10b, fitted in sockets in the intermediate plate, 5c, and the bottom plate, 5b, of the draw bar casting, 5, in advance of the main draw bar coupling pin, 4. The diameters of the eyes of the safety draw bar are slightly larger than those of the pins to which said bar is coupled, so that it is not normally under tension, and is not subjected to tension, except in the event of the breakage or displacement of the main draw bar. The coupling pins, 2, and 10b, are held in position by keepers, 11, of any suitable and preferred construction, pin, 4, is prevented by a key or pin passing through it.

It will be seen that a material increase of clearance over the front tender truck is afforded, as compared with the construction of Patent No. 1,216,692, by reason of the shortening of the tender coupling pin, 4, and the elimination of the bottom socket thereof and its bracing. This increase of clearance is of material importance, in view of the application of clasp brakes on the tender trucks, which is now becoming general.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

In a. railroad vehicle draw gear, the combination of adraw bar casting adapted to be supported on a locomotive; a draw bar casting adapted to be supported on a tender and which is reduced in depth toward and at its rear end; a main draw bar pin, fitted in the .draw bar casting of the locomotive; a main draw bar pin, of shorter length, fitted in the upper rear portion of the draw bar casting of the tender; a main drav' bar coupled to said pins; a safety draw bar pin, fitted in the draw bar casting of the tender, below the main draw bar and forward of the pin thereof; and a safety draw bar, coupled to said pin and to the main draw bar pin 'of the locomotive.

HERMAN F. BALL.

Witnesses:

H. D. LAVAY, J. MCLAUGHLIN.

and downward movement of theA 

